INTRODUCTION
On December 16, 2023, the Supreme Court made strong observations regarding the rising drug crisis in India while rejecting bail for an individual accused of cross-border drug trade. Drawing attention to the perilous consequences of drug addiction on the youth of the state, the court stressed the immediate need to take collective action against this menace. It called on young minds to rise against peer pressure and replace stigma with rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND
The bench of Justices-BV Nagarathna and NK Singh-remarked that drug trafficking, having offshoots in existence, would go beyond individual injury to society done by something akin to funding terrorism. The judgment pointed out that the findings of the 2019 MoSJE Report on Magnitude of Substance Use in India draw troubling pictures of the present status of opioids and cannabis consumption to alarming heights across states.
The court clarified that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) can investigate non-scheduled offenses or individuals if there exists a clear nexus with scheduled offenses envisaged under its purview.
KEY POINTS
- The Escalating Drug Crisis in India : The Court noted, relying on the MoSJE 2019 Report, that 22.6 million Indians used opioids and 31 million people used cannabis. Of these, 770,000 were problem opioid users, that is, using the substance in a way that was harmful or dependent. States like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh were said to be the worst affected by drug abuse. This upsurging trend seems to indicate the ease of accessibilities and procurement of narcotics from across borders.
- Young People and Peer Pressure: The Court was perturbed by the prescribed normalcy of narcotics in contemporary culture; peer pressure upon youngsters plays an important role in the development of irregular habits. Early addiction severely damages the academic, professional, and personal dreams of youth and threatens the socio-economic stability for a whole generation, the Court noted. The authorities encouraged youngsters to exercise their free will and resist glorifying drug-use; otherwise, following the gaunt set of actions creates an unstable lifestyle.
- Parental Responsibility: Parents have been emphasized as important actors in arresting adolescent drug addiction. The Court emphasized that lack of parental concern, domestic strife, and massive financial independence are among the many reasons that could as well drive the youth to indulge in drugs, so to speak, as taking recourse to a quick fix for effects of life with which they are unable to cope. It also needed an open and loving kind of dialogue between the parents and youths with an emphasis on how the key to their security against any sort of drug use is an emotionally secure child, and noted that it is “an emotionally secure child that is less prone to peer pressure and drugs”.
- Awareness and Education: The Court called upon schools and colleges to prevent drug abuse through the inclusion of scientific and evidence-based drug education in their curriculum. Such programs must include information on the physical, emotional, and legal consequences of substance abuse. It also underscored the fact that the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction should be strengthened by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Rehabilitation vs. Stigmatization: According to the Court, drug abuse victims must be rehabilitated and not demonized. Stigmatizing drug users will not only keep them from seeking help but will worsen the ongoing crisis. It urged society to switch its focus to effective rehabilitation programs that can help victims rebuild their lives.
- Role of Communities and NGOs: The Court encouraged local communities, NGOs, and law enforcement to coordinate campaigns in schools, youth centers, and vulnerable areas. These stakeholders can play an important role in creating safe, informed environments in which young people choose not to enter the drug sphere. The Court also emphasized the need for better synergy in addressing substance abuse among children between the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Narcotics Control Bureau.
- A National Security Concern: The Court noted a dangerous relationship between the profits earned from drug trafficking and the funding of terrorism. It noted that illegal narcotics not only ruin individual lives but also destabilize the nation by financing organized criminal and anti-State activities.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The court reiterated its commitment to fighting drug abuse through a serious approach to the issues and challenges facing society. It directed the stakeholders, which are the parents, schools, communities, and government authorities, to take immediate action to stop this raging crisis. The Court suggested awareness programs through NALSA, targeting vulnerable regions all over India. It also mentioned the need for coordinated action by NCPCR and NCB along current frameworks against the abuse of substances by adolescents.
CONCLUSION
Appealed powerfully to the youth of India’s sense to shun peer pressure against taking drugs and opted for a healthy life and a drug-free life, reminded by the Supreme Court while emphasizing the reason for focusing on rehabilitation instead of stigmatization. Therefore, all the stakeholders, beginning from families to chairpersons and school management to government bodies, need to ensure prevention and awareness along with community action to fight the growing drug crisis and save India.
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WRITTEN BY: MADHAV SAXENA
